Wrench.



No. 674,801. Patented May 2|, l90l.

H. C. STUUFFER.

WRENCH.

(Application filed Mar. 1x, 1901.)

(No Model.)

1f Clsaulfkgl a w v c. Tn: Noam: mm on mom-umu. wAwma'rom n nirnn STATES HIRAM O. STOUFFER, OF MINERALRIDGE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDGAR ALTON MILLER, OF NILES, OHIO.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,801, dated May 21, 1901.

' Application filed March 11, 1901. $erial 170. 50,715. (No model.)

To all whom, it 777/6717] concern:

Be it known that, I, HIRAM C. STOUFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mineralridge, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use- I fill Vrench, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to wrenches, and has for its object to facilitate the adjustment of the jaws of the wrench, so as'to obtain a tight grip upon the object to which the wrench is to be applied. It is furthermore designed to provide for a supplemental adjustment of the movable jaw independently of its bodily adjustment upon the shank of the wrench and also to arrange for elfecting this supplemental adjustment in a convenient manner by the thumb of the hand which grasps the wrench.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wrench constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an edge elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail perspectiVe view of the adjustable supplemental gripping part of the movable jaw.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the usual polygonal straightshank of the Wrench, which is provided at its outer end with a fixed laterally-projected jaw 2, and at its opposite inner end with a handle 3.

Slidably mounted upon the shank is the box-like body portion 4 of the movable jaw, which is provided at its upper inner edge with a lateral projection 5, which inclines outwardly away from the fixed jaw and toward the handle of the wrench. Upon the inner side of this projection there is slidably mounteda wedge-shaped block 6, which is designed to form the gripping-face of the movable jaw and to cooperate with the fixed jaw. The inner face of the fixed jaw and the outer face of the block are provided with transversely-arranged teeth, as clearly shown, to insure a tight grip of the jaws.

To connect the slidable blockto the projected portion of the movable jaw, there is provided a substantially U-shaped loop or stirrup 7, which slidabl'y embraces the projection 5 and has its opposite ends connected to the respective sides of the block by means of suitable fastenings 8, there being a projected finger-piece 9 at the outer end of the loop or stirrup, whereby the loop and the block may he slid inwardly by pressing in- Wardly upon the finger-piece. By reason of the inclination of the projection 5 and the correspondingly-inclined innerface of the block (5 the inward movement of the latter draws the block toward the fixed jaw, so as to bring the gripping-surface of the movable jaw into snug engagement with the object to which the wrench is applied.

It will be observed that the outer end of the projection is provided with an enlarged head that forms an outwardly-directed marginal stop-fiange 10 for engagement with the opposite sides and outer end of the stirrup, and thereby prevent outward displacement of the stirrup and the block. The projection is polygonal in shape, so as to prevent turning of the stirrup, and the stop flange or shoulder projects at all but the inner side of the projection, so as to allow the block to slide to its outermost extremity.

Any suitable means may be provided for obtaining the initial adjustment of the movable jawas, for instance, a rotatable screw 11, journaled at its outer end in a lateral projection or shoulder 12, carried by the shank adjacent to the inner end of the handle, the opposite end portion of the screw being received within a correspondingly screwthreaded bore or opening in the outer end of the movable jaw, there being a suitable finger disk 13 provided upon the screw for convenience in rotating the latter,.whereby the movable jaw may be bodily adjusted toward and away from the fixed jaw.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the movable jaw is first bodily adjusted by the manipulation of the adjusting-screw, and afterward should the jaws not fit snugly the movable face of the movable jaw may be slid inwardly by pressing inwardly upon the finger-piece 9, so as to draw the block into snug engagement with the object to which the wrench may be applied. It will here be noted that the finger-piece may be conveniently engaged by the thumb of the hand which grasps the wrench, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In a nut-wrench as shown in the drawings the outer face of the movable block should be arranged parallel with the inner face of the fixed jaw, it being the inner face of the block that is beveled or inclined, whereby the gripping-surfaces remain parallel at any adjustment of the block, so as to properly grip a nut. Should the adjustable block be applied to a pipe-wrench, the outer or gripping face of the block would be formed to engage the pipe in the manner of any ordinary pipewrench.

What is claimed is- 1. A wrench, comprising a shank, having a fixed jaw at one end, and a handle at the opposite end thereof a movable aw, which is slidably mounted upon the shank to cooperate with the fixed jaw, and provided with a lateral projection which inclines toward the handle, a movable wedge-shaped block having its inclined inner face slidably mounted upon the inner side of the projection, and a stirrup slidably embracing the projection with its opposite ends connected to the respective sides of the block, and provided with a lateral finger-piece projected at the outer end of the stirrup.

2. The combination with the shank, and the fixed jaw of a wrench, of a slidable jaw mounted upon the shank, and having a lateral projection extending in the same direction as the fixed jaw and also inclined outwardly away therefrom, the projection being polygonal in shape, and having an outer terminal lateral stop-shoulder, a wedge-shaped block slidably mounted upon the side of the projection which is next to'the fixed jaw, and a stirrup slidably embraci ng the, projection with its opposite ends connected to corresponding sides of the block, there being a lateral finger-piece projected from the outer end of the stirrup, and the terminal stopshoulder being located in the path of the outward movement of the stirrup to prevent displacement thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM O. STOUFFER.

Witnesses:

E. E. DOYLE, FRANK S. APPLEMAN. 

